The Dish

Restaurant Recipe: Tinhorn Flats Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

As the end of my tagline on Kasey’s Kitchen, "...on a budget but always classy" suggests, I am always down to find a good deal. But, I'll admit, I've been slacking a bit. Living here in Los Angeles, finding said "deals" can be a hard to come by. Until now.

I recently had the chance to check out Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill in Hollywood. This is a country-style saloon with a cool and casual vibe tucked-up right in the heart of Hollywood and Highland. Although it's mostly known for it's nightlife, I quickly discovered that this is the “go-to” place for some pretty awesome grub while you're in the hub of "Tinseltown". Their menu is insanely affordable compared to the rest of the area and I was surprised that bar food could be so tasty, plus with all the specials and promotions they run, this may very well become your go-to Happy Hour spot.

The folks at Tinhorn Flats were cool enough to let me snag the recipe for the Jalapeno Mac & Cheese. The full recipe is below, so check that out!

Click here to see some of the other mouthwatering dishes Tinhorn Flats serves up daily.

Cook pasta according to package directions (approximately 7 minutes), until it's very al dente. (It will cook more in the oven, so you want to make sure that it doesn't become mushy!) Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Bring three cups of water to boil in a medium pot. Add the chopped jalapeño pepper and cook over a low boil for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the boiling water.

While pasta is cooking, gradually heat milk in a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, stirring frequently so the milk doesn't scorch.

As the milk is warming, heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the garlic and onion, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the garlic doesn't burn.

When the garlic and onions are tender and lightly browned, but note burned, add the pickled jalapeños, black pepper, cumin, cayenne, and flour stirring to coat. Cook for 30 seconds over low heat, stirring frequently. Mix in the warm milk. Add the jalapeño water as needed to thin out the sauce.

Assembly

Place pasta in a large oven-proof baking dish. Pour the milk/jalapeño mixture over the top. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle panko bread crumbs over pasta, place back into the oven until the crust is golden-brown, approximately 10-15 additional minutes. Serve immediately.